According to a recent survey conducted by Women In Trucking (WIT), more than 60% of female truck drivers felt unsafe at least once in the past year. Approximately 20% reported being threatened by a weapon, and on a scale of one to 10, women rated feeling safe in their jobs at just 4.4. Much of this is related to risks such as truck stop safety, where security can be poor and vehicles might be vulnerable to entry.
Cybersecurity company Irdeto has developed Keystone to address the core of these issues by providing fleet managers and truck drivers with a turnkey solution for keyless vehicle operation. It is a permission-based vehicle digital key solution that leverages Bluetooth technology to enable proximity-based vehicle access using a smartphone. The solution allows the fleet manager to control when and how drivers and support functions can access and drive vehicles in a fleet. Leveraging proximity wireless technologies, Keystone can detect an authorized driver approaching and start preconditioning with the vehicle even before the driver reaches it, according to a company press release.
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Female drivers often rely on each other to learn realistic ways to prevent unsafe situations, and this includes extra precautions to protect themselves on the road. For example, women often avoid parking in the back rows of truck stops to circumvent walking long distances through the lot alone, as these are locations with significant safety threats. It is common knowledge that many of the truck keys can open more than one truck, leaving women vulnerable during the much need rest stops. By eliminating the need for a key, only a person authorized to open the truck and with the right digital permissions on mobile will be able to do so.
“Our mission to minimize obstacles includes addressing the issue of personal safety. Irdeto’s keyless entry product ensures the driver’s safety by protecting them from intruders by limiting access to the cab and starting the engine for authorized individuals only,” said Women In Trucking CEO Ellen Voie.
“Women look for a carrier that is concerned about their personal safety on the road as well as proper tractor and trailer maintenance. We believe the wide implementation of Keystone will bring more safety to the industry and therefore encourage more women to pursue careers as drivers,” said Niels Haverkorn, SVP and general manager of connected transport at Irdeto.
